open Democracy News Analysis - bad democracy awards - Comments

Not logged in on "A Loong and winding road"

Not logged in — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 15:47:52 +0000

To Gopalnair:

American has an independent media, indeed. But it had misled the public in many cases such as the Tibet issue earlier this year. I shall not elaborate further as I presume that you are aware of the saga.

Restricting freedom by a large extent is unhealthy for a democractic country but total freedom can also be harmful. The reputation of America and the West have taken a blow after their media abused the freedom to write misleading articles about China.

You must know when to create a balance between two heavyweight factors.

Democracy has its flaws too and can't be suitable for every single country. Please, I am not saying that Singapore must not expose herself to democracy but to a certain extent, that is.

PS: Freedom does not permit you to meddle in other country's domestic issues like what you are doing now. If you want to have some say in Singapore politics, please reapply for a citizenship, at least. It will serve you a good purpose.

Emperor L

gopalnair on "A Loong and winding road"

gopalnair — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 21:57:27 +0000

Charles Tan writes that he is amazed knowing that Lee Hsien Loong got the worst democracy award. Had Mr. Tan known Singapore a little better, he would not be amazed at all. Lee has managed to muzzle the media and press, threatened the Internet, banned free speech and expression, jailed Singaporeans for exercising their fundamental rights, controlled the Judiciary, and what more do you want to hear? The repression list goes on. If ever there was an anti democrat, Lee is the one. As for comparing him to Bush, I would say Bush is a true democrat, in comparison to him. Yes, he has misled the American people about Iraq. But the fact remains that the American media is independent and Jay Leno has not been tortured and killed for making fun of him. Lee is a dictator. Bush is not, although he wishes to be, but still he is not. The prize of worst democrat by Lee was well earned.

Once more, regrettably, Singapore leads the world, in infamy.

Gopalan Nair

39737 Paseo Padre Parkway, Suite A1

Fremont, CA 94538, USA

Tel: 510 657 6107

Fax: 510 657 6914

charles.tan on "A Loong and winding road"

charles.tan — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 09:03:39 +0000

It amazes me that Mr Lee was awarded the worst democrat award of the year 2006. He actually managed to outrank Bush whom I would have thought, to be a bigger human rights predator.

That said, I however, do agree that the winner is a authoritarian and that he has not lived up to his expectations of "opening up" which he has promised his fellow countryment before taking over leadership. The PAP has continued to file lawsuits against dissenting publications and critics; and jailed its Opposition who have fought tooth and nail in standing up for their political rights.

Nevertheless, I wonder if the website might consider changing their award title. After all, Mr Lee was never a democrat in the first place so to say that he is the worst democrat is really a misapplication and gross denunciation of the term, "democrat".

The writer mentioned that Singapore churned out millionaires at record rates. That is something unfortunately I don't find. Maybe he was being tongue in cheek?

Of course there are so many more dictators around the world that should have also made the final polls. Oh well, there's always next time...

beabona on "Democracy bites"

beabona — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 23:39:52 +0000

What happened to the site again?? On Dec.8.I saw OD website and the winner of the Bad Dem.Award for October 2006 was Ferenc Gyurcsany leading with 4% ahead of the Thai General.Now it shows different thing: instead of Gyurcsany no winner but the explanations...spoiled vote...?? Who wants to erase the name of Gyurcsany from your list by all means?

atus3 on "Democracy bites"

atus3 — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 17:14:10 +0000

Dear oD,

- you failed to take into account the many requests to include Gyurcsany into the candidates for Bad Democrat of the Year,

- you did nothing to prevent future automated votes. Your developers must have heard of Captchas?!?

Because of the above, democracy loses and dictators win. E.g. all October Bad Democrat nominees - including Gyurcsany, the most probable winner - rejoice because of the canceled vote; all hackers are relieved because you are an easy target again.

WHY?

smoke_bellew on "Democracy bites"

smoke_bellew — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 11:17:51 +0000

It seems obvious that Ferenc Gyurcsany, prime minister of Hungary should become the 12th member of this illustrious :) group. The reason for that, at least for me, is not that he has lied, since he was not alone. One person, even the prime minister, cannot maintain a system based on lies without help from other people. The lies could have only been believed by the electorate of Hungary if the fellow party members and members of his government including those not delegated by the Socialist Party but by the so-called Free Democrats did not went along with him in order to cover up what is going in Hungary. The real reason, why I cast my vote on him, is that as a modern Richard the Third he created an environment in Hungary where now lying and lies seem morally superior to truth and honesty. The real problem is that there was not one member of his party, after hearing his admittance of lying stood up and said that this is 'more than I've bargained for when I became an elected meber of the parliament, when I was sworn in at the opening session of the parliament I swore to protect and serve the people of Hungary and not to be loyal to the prime minister at all costs'. The prime ministers and his fellow lying associates real fault is that the ones who dare to whisper the truth are despised and the shouting liars are applauded. So not his lies are the real problem but the aftermath.

flaszlo on "Democracy bites"

flaszlo — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 20:50:23 +0000

Welcome to the postcommunist democracy ruled by communist secret services! The hungarian writer S�ndor M�rai said once: "The worst thing in the communism is not the communism itself, but the time after it." Gyurcs�ny is just the leader at the moment, but the real power is not in his hands. If he gets the Bad Democracy award of the year, what I hope seriously, the whole system behind him will be outpointed. Some people say that the communists have lost the cold war, but they have won the peace which came after.

Thats the unwilled hungarian reality.

Flacz

JoPolgar on "Democracy bites"

JoPolgar — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 16:08:39 +0000

I strogly suggest that at least a "honorary" award should be designated to Mr. Gyurcsany. His terribble and aggressive acts against the basic priciples of democracy make him perfectly eligible for this "award".

Diffeomorphism on "Democracy bites"

Diffeomorphism — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 15:18:17 +0000

I would also like the winning award be passed to Mr. Gyurcsany because of the following reason.

The European Union has been pride of respecting and promoting human rights and democracy all over the world. The fact, that such things can take place in an EU member state ( a blatant liar as prime minister, brutal measures against the demonstrants, including using of rubber bullets, tear gas and cobra stick ) can by no means be overestimated.

If we do not hold against this tendency, we may find ourselves in an EU, where this " exception" or " anomaly " will be THE common, every-day practice.

Do we really want that ?

beabona on "Democracy bites"

beabona — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 22:44:57 +0000

I vote for Gyurcs�ny to win the Bad Democracy Award because he's manipulating everything in order to maintain their political power by all means. Whatever becomes inconvenient for them they make a secrecy of it immediately for at least 30, but rather 80 years.

sky on "Democracy bites"

sky — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 12:34:34 +0000

I would fill the gap with Ferenc Gyurcsany because Sonthi Boonyaratkalin was given nominations by Hungarian voters from Hungarian addresses as the article claims.

tcp_1 on "Democracy bites"

tcp_1 — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 09:14:29 +0000

I vote the wild card for the pro-Gyurcs�ny hackers.

It is not just that they destroyed the oD poll. They also demonstrated a profound lack of the essential democratic virtue of moderation. If, at every attack in the public space of ideas, paranoia takes hold and justifies behaviour outside the norms, democracy really suffers. Indeed, it cannot survive this attitude.

The Hungarian hackers are the essence of the bad democrat: they make the pretense of democracy, but possess not of the virtues that sustain it.